The present invention relates to footwear, and more particularly to an improved ventilating shoe which permits exchange of humidity, temperature and air between the inside and outside of the shoe to provide a better and more comfortable environment for the wearer's foot.
It has previously been recognized that it may be desirable to construct articles of footwear incorporating some means for effecting ventilation of the shoe. A variety of such constructions have heretofore been developed for use especially in summer season.
In one of those developed shoes, there are a plurality of small apertures on the both sides of the shoe and numerous apertures on the top surface thereof for providing ventilation to the foot of the wearer reducing perspiration and removing the bad smell emitted from the inside of the shoe.
Another developement is designed so that a complicated valved pumping mechanism incorporated in the outsole and the heel of the shoe effectuates circulation air to the shoe by the valved pumping action.
In such enforced ventilating type shoe, there are a plurality of springs and air passages arranged inside of the outsole and heel portion, thereby introducing air into the shoe and discharging the inner air to the outside.
However, since the shoe of the enforced air circulation type is made to effect the air pumping performance by means of the spring force caused by the walking of the wearer, when the wearer may be seated for office work or riding in a vehicle, the air pumping mechanism will not be actuated to effectuate the air circulation. As the result, the wearer should take off his shoes and then another footwear, for instance a kind of slippers will be necessary for resting his feet on the floor so as to allow for exposing his feet to the fresh air.
The aforementioned vent perforation type shoes have drawback in that on rainy days, the rain drops tend to flow into the shoes through the numerous apertures, thereby getting the wearer's feet wet in the water.
Another drawback is that such vent perforated shoes are adapted only for use in summer season, and therefore another shoes will be necessary for use in winter season.